Water regulator



May 24, 1932. D, ELDER WATER REGULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Ma'y 17, 1930 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS.

".May 24, 1932.

D. ELDER WATER REGULATOR Filed May 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. pom, 0 .61 u e ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orrrci DONALD ELDER, F BERKELEY, oA IEoENiA I WATER REGULATOR Application filed May 17, 1930. Serial No. 453,186.

This invention relates to automatic water flow control apparatus as used to regulate the flow of water to several sprinkler heads, and has for its objects improvements whereby the action of the apparatus is more dependable,

Fig. 1. is a plan'view of taken vertically through Fig. 1 or along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the apparatus as seen from the line 44 of Fig. 2. r

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Briefly described the apparatus is of that type shown in my copending patent filed under Serial Number 440,748 and functions in a similar way in regulating or controlling Y the flow of water to a sprinkler head or heads for a period of time and then switching the flow to another sprinkler head or heads and at one of which latter heads a similar device functions similarly until all the sprinklers in the system have operated, and upon which event they are all held closed by water pressure until such time as a definite drop in water pressure occurs in the line and whereupon the regulators automatically reset themselves for a repetition of the cycle as outlined.

With reference to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a hollou body or housing 1 providing a main water chamber 2 with an inlet from pipe 3, sprinkler outlet through pipe 4 and line outlet connected to pipe 5.

Outlet to pipe 5 is formed into a valve seat a 6 on which is shown seated'a slide valve 7,.

while the outlet to: pipe 4 comprises a cored passage 8 formed with a valve seat at 9 adapted for seating thereagai-nst of a disk valve 10 carried on the end of sliding valve 7 j havlng secured to it a. worm 31 in meshwitli and formed with a neck 11 adapted to extend into the throat 12 of water passage 8 when the disk valve is seated upon seat 9, the spacing of seats 6 and 9 being such as to open either valve upon closureof the other.

Valve 10 is provided with a stem 13 which extends through water passagec8, through packing leathers 1.4, and has a piston 15 secured to its outer end slidably operating in a cylind-er'l6 closed at its outer end by a screw plug 17 and containing within a compression spring 18 reacting between the plug and the piston so as to normally slide valve 7 to close outlet 5 and open passage 8 to chamber 2. Plug 17 afiord's adjustmentfor spring 18.

Adjacent to chamber 2 is a circular chamber19 open at one side, to passage 8 and in which circular chamber is rotatablymounted a waterwheel 20 withzone edge extending into the water passage 8 so that the wheel will be rotated by flow of some of'th-e water passing to pipe 4, and to varythe effectiveness of which flow upon the waterwheel I provide an adjustable blade 21 at the juncture of chamber 19Qand assage 8 with, a screw 22 bearing against t e blade so that it, can'be adjusted from outsideof the housing to control the amount of flow which is active upon 7 the wheel, so as to provide for most'of the water flowing freely to outlet pipe 4 and just the required minimum being diverted to operate the wheel. y

This wheel is the water driven element of a series of timing gears whereby the duration of theopen position of valve 10 is determined, and after a certain number of rotations depending on the setting of a certain indicator hand 23, a small sector-like slide valve 24 is P opened touncover a port 25 and thereby permit water-under pressure from the chamber 2.to enter behind piston 15 and force same outwardly while compressing spring 18..

moving valve 10 toward closing position and valve 7 toward open position.

In order to carry out the operations of the preceding. paragraphv waterwheel 20 is secured to an aXle26 extendingthrough chamber 19 into a timing gear chamber 27 and carrying a worm 28 meshing with a wormwheel 29 carried on a countershaft 30 also a wormwheel 32 secured to a shaft 33 which extends from gear chamber 27 back into main chamber 2 wherein it has secured to it a special worm or concave threaded member 34. r

This special worm is curved from the axis of a crank shaft which passes through packing leather 36 in the side wall of the housing and outwardly thereof carries indicator arm 23. Mounted on a pin 56 aligned with the axis of shaft 35 and on linewith the special worm 34 is an .arm telescoping over which is a hollow arm 38" resiliently forced outward by a compression spring 39. Hollow arm 38 is formed with a wedge-like outer end engaging the thread of the special member 34, and at its opposite end it is formed into a yoke 40 passing to opposite sides of shaft 35, as shown best in Fig.4, and formed with upwardly extending yokeeiids 41 both lying to the rear of this shaft.

Arm 37 has a hub free onsliaft and a rear extension 37 which is positioned between two lugs 42 formed on top of the flat sector-like valve 24 which controls port 25,

plunger 45 operating in acy'linder 46 vented at 47 to atmosphere and containing a compression spring 48 resiliently forcing the plunger outward when thewater pressure in chamber 2' acting against the outer end of the plunger permits.

Crank shaft 35 is also-provided with a pair of oppositely projecting pins 49 extending 23 is moved to turn shaft 35 the first jeifect just forward of theupturn'ed portions'4l of the yoke 40 so that when the indicator arm produced will be to collapse the telescope arm 38 so that it will be withdrawn from engagement with the thread of the special worm 34 and after whichthe telescopic arm and valve 24 will be revolved to whatever setting is desired until by release of turning effort on in-" dicator arm 23 the telescopic arm 38 will reengage the thread of the worm at the new setting.

The indicator arm is positioned on top ofthe housing for accessibility from the surface of the ground in which it is ordinarily buried when connected 111 a lawn sprinkling system,

anda cover 50 is provided to keepout dirt.

When piston 15 is forced outwardly it will tend to compress air in cylinder 16 and to avoid this a small vent tube 51 is extended from the outer portion of the cylinder to the reset tosome predetermined point by swinging it until it strikes the stop. Such a stop is here indicated by a small peg'54 which may be placed in any of a-rowof holes 55.

To aid in construction and assembling, Various parts of the housing are threaded to the main body 1, such parts being designated 1 in the drawings.

In operation of the apparatus, starting from position shown in Fig. 2, water from supply pipe 3 flows freely to pipe 4 feeding one or more sprinkler heads," and'after a time dependent on the setting of the indicator arm, valve 24 opens port 25, piston 15 is at once moved outward until nose ll of valve 10 enters neck 12 and at which point the entire force of water back of valve 10 at once closes it, thus shutting off pipe 4 and opening pipe 5 which may lead to another sprinkler head or heads similarly controlled. 1

hen finally a series of regulators have thus operated all'remain shut off by static water pressureuntil this pressure is broken by some other means not involved'in the present invention, but as soon as the pressure is broken spring 18 opens valve 10, closes valve 7 and spring 48 resets the indicator armto the stop 54 so that upon again starting the pressure from some extraneous controlthe' series of regulators w'ill agaiii function as described. The period of time ,of sprinkling matically. 1 1 '1 While in operation valves 24 and 'Z are held in tight sliding contactwith theirrseats by Water pressure, the stem connection l3of the doublevalves 10 and 7 is made a loose'fit to give valves freedom for seating.

It should be noted that in this apparatus there are no needle valves Orrestricted liquid passages to control the timing, alsothat the is no wear upon these parts, as the only work done by the thread is to. slide the sector-like :valve 24 to open thesmall port 25 which takes very little effort.

Having thus described my invention, it will be seen to be an apparatus wherein minor changes may be made without affecting the mode of operation or going without the'spirit claims. I

Iclaim: i 1. if water regulator comprising a hollow body havinga water. chamber with an inlet and outlet passages, connected valvezmeans of the invention as expressed in my appended arranged for closing. one of said passages and" der in which said pistonoperates and means for admitting water under pressure to said piston for operating "said v lv means {Com} prising a waterwheel in a water passage of the regulator, reduction gearing driven by said waterwheell andi including]a 'threaded worm;l1ke member, a pivoted arm engaging. the-thread of saidworm-likemember, and a for which each is set will be repeatedautoend of telescopic arm. 38- is pulled out of the timing thread of thespecial worm in whichever direction the arm is turned, thus, there valve covering a Water port to said piston operated by said arm through travel imparted by said worm-like member.

2. A water regulator comprising a hollow body having a water chamber with an inlet and two outlet passages, connected valve means arranged for closing one of said passages and opening the other alternately, a stem on said valve means provided with a piston, a cylinder in which said piston operates and means for admitting water under pressure to said piston for operating said valve means comprising a waterwheel in a water passage of the regulator, a threaded worm-like member driven by said waterwheel, a movable arm engaging the thread of said member and a valve covering a water port to said piston operated by said arm through motion imparted by said member.

3. A water regulator comprising a. hollow body having a water chamber with an inlet and two outlet passages, connected valve means arranged for closing one of said passages and opening the other alternately, a stem on said valve means provided with a piston, a cylinder in which said piston operates and means for admitting water under pressure to said piston for operating said valve means comprising a waterwheel in a water passage of the regulator, a threaded worm-like member driven by said waterwheel, a movable arm engaging the thread of said member, a valve covering a water port to said piston operated by said arm through motion imparted by said member and means for automatically setting said arm at a predetermined point of engagement on said member.

4. In a structure as specified in claim 2 means for withdrawing said arm from engagement with said member and resetting it at any point therealong.

5. In a structure as specified in claim 2 said arm being pivoted to swin in an arc, and said member curved to con orm to said arc.

6. In a structure as specified in claim 2 manually operable, means accessible at the outerside of the body for Withdrawing said arm from engagement with said member and resetting it at any point therealong.

7. In a structure as specified in claim 2 a return spring in said cylinder operative against said piston, and a vent tube leading from the spring space in said cylinder.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a hollow body having a water inlet and outlet passages, valve means for controlling said passages, a waterwheel operated by flow of water through the apparatus, timing gear means operated by the waterwheel for actuating said valve means and including a threaded worm, a pivotally mounted arm engaging the thread of said worm for movement thereby, and means for sliding said arm out of engagement with said worm for free rotation and re-engagement with said worm.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a hollow body having a water inlet and outlet passages, valve means for controlling said passages, a waterwheel operated by flow of water through the apparatus, timing gear means operated by the waterwheel for actuating said valve means and including a threaded worm, a pivotally mounted arm engaging the thread of said worm for movement thereby, and means for sliding said arm out of engagement with said worm for free rotation and re-engagement with said worm, said worm being of double concave hour glass form and said arm pivoted opposite the narrow part of said worm. I

10. In a structure as specified in claim 2 a spring actuated plunger operating in a cylinder open at one side to water pressure and having an extension and connections adapted to turn and reset said arm, said p-lunger'being rendered inactive by water pressure while one of the outlet passages is closed.

11. In a structure as specified in claim 2 means for manually adjusting said arm from outside the hollow body comprising a shaft extending out of the body, a slip coupling between the shaft and the arm, and an indicator arm at the outer end of the shaft.

12. In a structure as specified in claim 2 means for manually adjusting said arm from outside the hollow body comprising a shaft extending out of the body, a slip coupling between the shaft and the arm, an indicator arm at the outer end of the shaft and an adjustable stop against which the indicator arm impinges.

13. In a structure as specified in claim 1, means for adjusting the effectiveness of water flow upon said wheel. V

DONALD ELDER. 

